This invention relates generally to automatic clamping and unclamping systems and particularly to a system for automatically clamping and unclamping kinescopes on a carrousel test conveyor.
Automation of the production of many products is rapidly increasing and is occurring at all phases of production. Thus, the actual production steps, many test procedures, and the handling of the product between production and test steps are all being automated. Automation of product handling between processing and/or test operations is desirable in order to eliminate high cost labor to perform mundane jobs, and also because the automatic conveyance of product between processing or test steps typically is more rapid, consistent and less damaging to the product.
The automatic of the conveyance of objects between processing or testing stages requires that the objects be moved from one point to another point accurately and rapidly. Such automation also frequently requires that the objects be fixedly set into, and removed from, particular types of fixtures automatically. The invention, therefore, is directed to a system for automatically clamping and unclamping objects, such as kinescopes, into the carriages of a carrousel type of test set.